Iloilo City – In a significant educational development, 3,000 underprivileged students in Iloilo City have been selected to receive benefits from the newly launched Integrated Scholarships and Incentives Program (ISIP) for the Youth. This initiative was inaugurated at the West Visayas State University (WVSU) cultural center on Saturday.
According to Philippines News Agency, ISIP for the Youth, a collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), represents a historic moment for the city. The program is part of the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) under President Bongbong Marcos’ administration. Baronda emphasized the significance of Iloilo City being the venue for the nationwide launch.
Under this program, the selected students will be enrolled in CHED’s ‘Tulong Dunong’ scholarship, receiving a PHP15,000 annual grant until graduation. Additionally, they will get PHP2,000 per semester under DSWD’s Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and priority in the Government’s Internship Program. This approach aims to provide them with employment opportunities and professional guidance.
The program also extends support to the unemployed parents or guardians of these students through DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers, an emergency employment program.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez, present at the launch, highlighted the program’s role in supporting deserving students, thereby contributing to the country’s development. The beneficiaries were selected with the assistance of the offices of Baronda, Uswag Ilonggo Party-list Rep. James Ang, and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, represented at the event by his daughter Raisa Treñas-Chu.
Beneficiaries like Denie Villaruz, a sophomore Business Administration student, and Patricia Angela Gallon, a graduating Education student, expressed their gratitude for the program’s impact on their financial burdens and educational opportunities.
The launch of ISIP for the Youth was preceded by the opening of the two-day BPSF at the Guimbal National High School gymnasium. Iloilo is the ninth province visited by the government’s service caravan, which has delivered 160 programs and services worth PHP1 billion to approximately 90,000 beneficiaries across various provinces.
